Shinji, Lord of the Sith
by WDCain Man
Summary: Upon arriving in Tokyo III, Shinji gains the attention of a powerful politician. The man's name? Senator Palpatine.
1. A New Beginning

_**Disclaimer:**_ Neon Genesis Evangelion is copyright by A.D. Vision and was created by Studio Gainax animation. All their characters are used without permission. Plus there's another disclaimer I'll have to place in other chapters if I decide to continue this.

Contrary to my normal style of writing, there will be no massive writer's commentary at the beginning of this fic, just a simple explanation. The reason I did this was to put a new spin on an old (but very cool) idea that has been used countless times. While some Shinji-with- a-spine fanfics are very cool, most are just repeats of the same story. My goal with this fic is to do a cool badass Shinji story that has never been done before. So sit back and enjoy another WDCain masterpiece.

**XXXXXXX  
**_**Shinji, Lord of the Sith**_

_**Part One:**_

_**A New Beginning**_

**XXXXXXX**

The Year 2015 AD...

"Damnit! Why did I have to lose him at a time like this? growled Misato Katsuragi as the drove through the evacuated streets of Tokyo 3. She shook her head in frustration as she looked at the picture of the young child she was to find. The name Shinji Ikari was printed at the bottom of a photo of a pathetic looking kid in a school uniform with shaggy dark hair. "Lord Almighty, just where is this kid?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Man... just where is she?" muttered Shinji Ikari to no one but himself as he walked around the empty streets of Tokyo 3 as he stared at a photograph of a beautiful purple-haired woman who was bent over suggestively along with an arrow pointing at her cleavage saying 'Get a load of this!'

In his other hand was a bag of some clothes to get him by along with his trusty SDAT Player. He frowned as he pulled out a letter from the bag. It was address from his father and had only one word written: COME.

Shinji shuddered and quaked at the thought of meeting him again. Best to get this over with, I want to head home soon.

Shinji reached for a payphone, hoping to connect Misato's cell phone. "We're sorry, all lines have been disconnected," came the voice machine at the phone company. Shinji sighed. Could this day possibly get any worst?

That was when he saw the forth Angel and started screaming like a little girl. Fortunately, that was when Misato showed up and saved Shinji's buttocks and began their classical journey to Nerv's underground base.

**XXXXXXX**

At Nerv's main command center...

A man whose heart was colder than stone stood next to the reinforced glass wall that separated the command room from the chamber that held Evangelion Unit 01. This was the man who summoned Shinji for his own evil deeds. His name: Gendo Ikari.

To his side was his ever constant shadow and second in command: Kozo Fuyutsuki. Though that he often aided Gendo, Fuyutsuki was easily more human that his superior. But despite this, the elder man could easily be as ruthless as Gendo was. But Fuyutsuki did have a heart, unlike his ruthless boss.

But there was a third man with them. He was an older man, several years older than even Fuyutsuki. But he had aged well, the man was only had a few wrinkles on his brow and cheeks. His hair had dulled to a light silver that was combed back. He was dressed in a silk black suit, nothing fancy like an Armani, more of a simple dark business suit with a charcoal gray tie and black leather shoes. But as a contrast to his dark clothing, the elder man had a face that was kind and gentle. But his kindness did not hinder his performance, he was an elected government official, a senator, that was here to check out Nerv for his fellow colleges in the capital. The man had a determine and warmhearted charm that made it seem impossible not to trust him. "So when will your... son arrive?" The government official spoke with a hint of disgust at the thought of even considering Gendo as a father.

The tone of his words was not lost on Gendo. He turned towards the elder man and nearly growled at him, but held it back. It was one thing to have to deal with SEELE, but having to handle a simple government legislation member was quite another. The combination of the man's silver- tongued way of talking and charisma made him very difficult to handle. On a personal note, Gendo would rather deal with SEELE everyday than have to handle that weak hearted man. "According to the front desk, Captain Misato and the Third Child had arrived over twenty minutes ago. They should be here any minute."

"So the world's only hope rests on his shoulders?" He shook his head to show his sadness. "A child should not have to burden that responsibility."

Gendo responded. "It is irreverent, Shinji is the Third Child. He will pilot the Eva. If not, than all of humanity is doomed."

Fuyutsuki nodded in his head in agreement. "He is quite right senator. Ikari's son is the only chance for the world to survive." Fuyutsuki's firm lips twisted into a somewhat sardonic grin. "Why don't you go fetch him for us if you are so worried about the Third Child?"

The senator nodded and left the command center to join Dr. Ritsuko Akagi in the search for the missing Misato and Shinji. Getting lost in the Nerv maze was infinitely better than being in the same room with Gendo.

Several minutes later, Misato was still leading Shinji deeper into the corridors and farther away from their desired location. They were just passing by a door when it opened up to reveal Ritsuko and the kind old man.

"RITS!" Mistato bounced up and gave her best friend a grateful smile.

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "Lost again? Do you realize the severity of the situation? The Third Angel has arrived!" Dr. Akagi was more than prepared to unleash a verbal storm when the senator cut her off by placing his warm hand gently on her shoulder.

"Now Dr. Akagi, she did not mean to be lost." He chuckled. "I remember when I first showed up last week, it took me over an hour just to find a vender machine to snack on. I think it is quite understandable that she would be a little bit behind."

"Thank you senator," Misato beamed cheerfully. The senator was listed as good people in her book!

The senator returned the smile to the captain before glancing down at Shinji and patting his head. "So you're the one huh?" He kneeled down and looked the boy in the eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ikari. Your mother was the finest person I had ever known."

Shinji gasped. "You knew my mom?"

He nodded. "Yes, she was the most caring and beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Whenever we would meet, she would talk about you for hours. She loved you more than life itself," he added on a final note.

Shinji found himself lost on words to reply with. "T-th-thank you, senator..."

With that, Dr. Akagi lead the three to the storage chamber to Eva Unit One.

"WHAAA! GIANT FACE!" Poor Shinji nearly had a heart attack when he saw the giant mecha. He began thumbing though the pamphlet he was given to by Misato in the hope of finding some information about it.

Ritsuko shook her head. "You won't find anything about it in there. This is humanity's last hope, the synthetic live form known as Evangelion. They are mankind's only hope against the angels."

Shinji was still somewhat shaken by sight before him. "And this is why I'm here?"

"Correct!" came a voice from above.

"FATHER!"

"It's been a while." Gendo spoke without a single hint of emotion.

Shinji had been dreading this moment ever since he received the letter from his father. The younger Ikari looked up towards his father and shuddered at his cold glare. Shinji turned away, lacking the strength to say what he had been wanting to say ever since Gendo abandoned him all those years ago.

Behind the glass, Gendo lips turned into a horrid grin. His son was as weak as he always was.

The senator saw Gendo's cold smirk from the ground and placed a supportive hand on Shinji's shoulders.

Gendo ignored the old man's gesture towards his son. "We're moving out."

"What?" gasped Misato. "Unit Zero is still in cryostasis! Wait a minute! You're gonna use Unit One?" Misato dreaded what she realized the true reason why she brought Shinji here.

"There's no other choice," reassured Ritsuko to her worried friend.

"Now wait! Rei can't do it yet can she? We don't have a pilot!" cried Misato. She was hoping that poor Shinji wouldn't be the one.

"We just received one," responded Ritsuko.

The senator glared at her, his anger showing in his gaze. Ritsuko ignored him. "Shinji Ikari, you will pilot it."

"NOOOOOOO!" All eyes turned towards Shinji. "I-I-I won't pilot it..." he whispered, nearly too quiet for anyone to hear him. Shinji looked up towards his father. "Is this why I'm here? You just want to use me!"

Gendo nodded and spoke in an even, emotionless tone. "That is your purpose. You are here to pilot the Evangelion, nothing more."

Shinji was close to tears when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he found himself staring into the gentle eyes of the senator and found a renewed determination to resist his father. "You heard me, I won't pilot it..." he spoke above a coarse whisper, only loud enough for the gentle man to hear it.

"Very well Mr. Ikari," he nodded. "I understand and respect your wishes." He looked up towards Gendo and shook his head to tell Gendo his son's choice.

Gendo turned to the monitors, telling his subordinate his latest order. "Wake up Rei."

"Can we use her?"

"She's not dead yet." Gendo said heartlessly.

"Understood," the man answered and connected the monitor to Rei.'

"Rei? Our spare is unusable. You will do it again."

"Yes sir," came a weak and frail voice on the other side.

A moment later, a set of nurses wheeled the battered and bruise Rei up towards the Eva, moaning all the way in pain.

Shinji's eyes were wide in absolute horror at the sight in front of him. Unknown to him, his own hand gripped the elder man's own.

The senator looked up towards Gendo though his class wall and growled. It wasn't right that the fate of the world rested on this monster, but that is the way things were. Though that didn't mean he wasn't going to stand by and do nothing.

But before he could react, the base trembled as if a bomb had detonated. All around, crewmen stumbled in a wild fashion as the base continued to rock and to Shinji's utmost horror, the injured Rei was thrown off her hospital gurney and landed roughly on the floor. He broke away from the senator and was by her side to held steadied her. Shinji peered in her red eyes and felt ashamed that he would allow this girl to be placed in danger. No... it wasn't him. It was his father! That monster did this to everyone! Not once caring about the pain he inflicted.

Another explosion rattled the base, this one knocking a giant metal beam from the ceiling free. The massive object went on a straight drop down right above the two children. The senator's eyes went wide and without a moment's thought dove for the child and making himself into a pathetic human shield. It was obvious that they wouldn't live but perhaps his added protection might be enough to save their lives.

Fortunately that was when Unit One's arm broke free of its liquid containment and intercepted the falling beam.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! UNIT ONE'S RESTRAINS ARE STILL ON!" Poor Dr. Akagi looked like she was about to suffer a heart attack.

Shinji ignored the doctor's panicked attitude and continued to stare into the dull red eyes of Rei. Within those crimson circles was nothing but simple acknowledgement of his presence. It simple did not matter to the girl that he trying to help her.

Shinji felt a warm pair of hands holding his shoulders. He looked behind and faced the senator. "Shinji, I know you're scared," his voice was gentle and kind. "And you have every right to be scared. All your life, you've been abused and abandon, unloved by anyone except your departed mother, and now you've been asked to save the entire world when no one ever helped you. But you must consider something important Shinji. When it comes down to it, which is more important? The crosses we bear, or the way we bear them?"

Shinji bowed his head at the thoughtful words and made the right decision. "I'll pilot it, sir."

"Good man," the senator smiled genuinely.

Within moments, Shinji was placed in the Entry Plug and injected into the Evangelion. While up in the control room, things were moving at a hectic pace. The bridge crew of Aoba, Maya, and Mokoto worked in a fever pace setting the settings for the launch. Misato was at the helm, giving out orders to them while Ritsuko monitored the Eva and its effects on the pilot. The only people who seemed not to do anything were Gendo, Fuyutsuki, and the senator. They all stayed silent as they watched the drama unfold.

Gendo glanced over to the senator. "Your job of convincing the Third Child to pilot the Eva was commendable," he spoke in a thankless tone.

The senator glared. "What I did, I did for him. So take whatever thanks you've got and stuff it!"

Fuyutsuki choose that moment to intervene. "Careful senator. Remember that you are here only to observe, not participate."

The senator choose not to respond as Misato gave the final order. "EVANGELION UNIT ONE! LAUNCH!"

With those words, Shinji and Unit One were launched up the shaft onto what was left of Tokyo 3. Shinji tried to calm himself and follow Ritsuko's advice on how to handle the Evangelion. Sadly, Shinji tripped after his first step and landed unceremoniously on the ground. He got up again and continued on towards the Third Angel.

As Shinji finally got his first look at his opponent, fear began building in his heart. This thing was like a monster from nightmares that he suffered from every night. Shinji gulped as any strength he felt he had from the Eva leave him.

That was when the Angel attacked.

The Angel made his first moved and grabbed the Eva by the face. It lifted Unit One off the ground while its arms suddenly swelled up. The monster than gripped the Eva's arm and twisted it violently.

Shinji let out an agonizing scream.

"Clam down! That's not your real arm!" reassured Misato.

"Where are his defense systems?" cried Ritsuko to the bridge crew.

"The system's not responding!" Maya cried desperately.

"His field's not up! It's not unfolding!" Makoto cried out.

"It's not up?!" yelled a panicked Ritsuko.

The angel crushed the Eva's arm, breaking it in two jagged pieces.

"Left arm damaged!" cried Maya.

"The circuits have snapped!" said Aoba.

Shinji was moaning softly inside the cockpit as the Angel lifted him higher into the air. The purple protrusion on the Angel's arm lengthen before slamming forward though a hole in its hand and smashing into the Eva's face.

"AARRRRR!" Shinji screamed again from within the Evangelion.

Within seconds, the face armor of the Eva shattered into pieces. The Angel followed though by slamming the Unit One into the side of a building while the monstrous Angel charged up another energy beam from its claws and impaled the Eva in the head.

"NO!" cried Misato as a massive amount of fluid burst through the front and back of the Eva's head.

"Unit One has gone completely silent!" said one of the male technicians.

"Misato!" cried Ritsuko.

"ABORT THE OPERATION! EJECT THE ENTRY PLUG AND DISPATCH EVA RESCURE!

"We can't! The system's not responding!" said Maya.

"WHAT?!" yelled Misato in shock.

The Eva slowly twitched as it laid on the ground. Even though life still flowed though Shinji, he was in no condition to continue. Sadly, the Angel wasn't about to leave him alive and so it continued the attack.

First it grabbed the Eva, lifting it over its head into the sky. As if he was presenting it to the Lord himself as a sacrificial offering. Next the Angel brought the Eva down and slammed its back on its knee, making Shinji feel as if his back was broken. Then it began slamming Unit One repeatedly on the ground over and over again in a horrifying pattern. Each slam made Shinji believe that another rib was breaking. Finally, to top the horrid combo off, the Angel tossed the robot though several condemned buildings, which caused each of the constructions to instantly collapsed.

Inside the command room, Gendo glared at the screen of the massacre over his steeple fingers. Something's wrong... he thought. Yui should have gone berserk by now. Surly she's seen the horrors I've put Shinji through, so why hasn't she reacted as the MAGI predicted? Though Gendo hated to admit it, only one choice was possible. Something is restricting Yui from taking control and instead allowing the Third Child to continue to pilot. If we survive this, I'll have to find out what is forcing her to remain inactive. Gendo looked up towards Misato. "Captain, prepare an immediate evacuation."

All eyes turned towards Gendo at what he just said.

Fuyutsuki spoke up. "That is unnecessary commander. You said it yourself: 'If Shinji fails than all humanity is doomed.'"

Gendo glared at his subordinate before issuing commands. "We will have Rei pilot Unit Zero to combat the Angel. Captain, make the necessary adjustments."

"What about Shinji?" Misato pleaded. She didn't have a clue what to do to help the poor boy.

"If he isn't dead yet, he will be in a minute. Hopefully the Angel will take enough time killing him for us to prepare Rei."

Everyone in the room fell silent at the plan except for the senator. He rushed up towards the communication system. "Can he still receive outside communications?" he asked to Maya in a hurried tone.

"Y-Yes sir!"

"Patch me though!" he ordered.

Gendo was about to order the senator's arrest when he heard Shinji's voice whimpered from the intercom. "N-no more... please... no more..."

The senator's knuckles whiten from the tight grip on the microphone. But despite the physical stresses his body showed, his voice carried a cool, confident tone. "Shinji, the Angel is like any other beast. Simply damage it enough and it will fall. Attack where you feel it is most vulnerable and you'll succeed."

"YOU STILL HAVE FAITH IN HIM?!" screamed Fuyutsuki. "HE'S ALL BUT DEAD!"

"I have faith in him because I know he'll win," he spoke fiercely, daring any to challenge him. It did not slip pass Gendo's notice that he was pressing the button on the intercom, allowing Shinji to hear his words.

A very clever way to boost Shinji's confidence, Gendo thought.

Within Unit One, Shinji took in the senator's confident words. Faith, that man actually had faith in him... Even Misato herself doubted he'd do it, but not the senator. For the first time since his mother died, someone had believed in him even though all hope seemed lost. He spoke in his radio. "I won't fail senator." His tone was final and exact, showing no fear whatsoever.

The Angel moved closer towards the battered Unit One. It stood in front of the fallen Eva and straightened both its arms. Behind them, twin pillars of energy extended along with the Angel taking aim at the cockpit of his opponent. Time seemed to slow down as information began to make its way to Shinji. His legs were useless, unable to even stand on his own. However, even with one arm damage, he could still use his hands. The Angel's only weapon was the pulse generators on its arms, other than that, it was pretty much defenseless. Its stomach contained little mass to protect its organs, so a strong enough attack there would easily finish it.

All this Shinji knew in an instant.

With a final burst of hidden strength, Shinji grabbed the Angel's hands and covered them with his own along with twisting its long arms backwards just as the energy was about to release. The monster panicked and automatically launched its attack, thus propelling the Eva forward with inhuman velocity towards the Angel. With a gut-wrenching screech, the Evangelion tore though the Angel's belly, spilling its organs and bile along the streets of Tokyo 3. Without its s2 organ intact within the safe confines of its belly, the Angel erupted into a massive explosion. The sky burned in crimson fury over the city of Tokyo 3.

"SHINJI!" cried Misato from the safety of Nerv's command center. Everyone, even Gendo himself, was shocked when Shinji used the Angel's own attack to slingshot him though the alien's own body.

Gendo reassumed command. "Is there any signals being received from Unit One?" he asked the bridge crew.

"N-none sir," whispered Maya. Never in her life had she seen such a desperate maneuver used before.

Gendo continued on. "Dispatch the workers to return Unit One to base."

"What about... the pilot?" Misato asked as she continued watching the explosion.

"He is irreverent. All that matters is that the Eva is readied for the next encounter," he spoke coldly.

Misato felt readied to cry. "Shinji..."

She felt a hand placed on her should and found that it belonged to the senator. "There is no need for that dear, look at the screen."

All in the command room looked to where he was pointing. They saw a trashed up Eva, crawling on all fours, slowly making its way back to base. What looked to be blood formed trail behind the Evangelion due to the massive wounds and tares on its chest, face, and now his hands. The Unit's outer casing was burnt and blacken to the point of unrecognizing. All in all, it looked like Shinji went to Hell and back. Considering the blazing inferno he crawled out of, that statement wasn't that far off.

Misato beamed. "Contact Eva Rescue and tell them to have a full medical team ready!"

"Acknowledge," replied Aoba as he radio the medical wing of Nerv.

Gendo turned to leave. "Fuyutsuki, I leave this to you."

"Yes sir."

As Gendo made his way to the exit door, he looked back towards the senator. Something told him that that man was going to be trouble for him and his plans. Pushing the thought aside, Gendo left. SEELE needed to be informed of the latest development.

**XXXXXXX**

The next day...

Shinji awoke to the typical Nerv ceiling in the medical wing. He groaned as a shiver of pain ran down his body. Never before in his life had he underwent such physical agony. Looking over to the side, he noticed that the kind senator was sitting in a chair, looking fairly exhausted.

Shinji smiled. "Thank you for everything sir," he whispered.

He blinked tiredly, like he hadn't slept in days. He blinked several more times while rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the sore Shinji. "Finally awake my good man? I'm glad. You've really put a scare into Capt. Misato, you know?"

Shinji nodded, which caused another moan from moving his battered body again. "I had to do it sir. If I didn't, than you and the others would have..." Shinji found himself at a lost. He couldn't bring himself to say the last word.

"Died?" the senator finished. "But we didn't. And do you know why? It's all because of you Shinji. You saved us all. So thank you Shinji, thank you for your everything you've done."

Shinji found himself close to the point of tears. "I couldn't have done it without you senator. We make the perfect team!"

The kind old man chuckled. "What a brilliant idea Shinji." He smiled honestly. "All it would take is a little guidance and you would be unstoppable. You need little help from me though, I can tell you are destine for great things."

Shinji found himself to the point of tears. So it wasn't too hard to imagine that some would be traveling down his face. Never before had he meet anyone who cared for him so much. His voice started cracking as tears started running down his face. "T-thank you... Senator Palpatine."

Not the end. Only the beginning...

**XXXXXXX**

Mwahahahahahahah! A MAD MAN! I'M A MAD MAN! BWAHAHAHAH! First I turned Carrot Glace into the Green Goblin and now I'm turning Shini into a Sith!

(Author recomposes himself) And it's due to Ian McDiarmand awesome portrayal of the senator from Naboo. As I said in my bio, I want to do fics that have never been done. There are countless Shinji-with-a-spine fanfics out there and the majority follow this plotline: Shinji shows up in Tokyo 3 and swears to he'll kill his father. Next, he hits on Misato during the car ride and acts really intelligent. Once he arrives at Nerv, he openly refuses to pilot and manages to piss off Gendo big time. So when Rei is pulled out, Shinji won't let her pilot the Eva and he kicks the fannies of any guards Gendo sends after him. Than Shinji shows his heroic side, gets in the Eva and proceeds to kick angelic ass! Finally the whole thing is topped off with Shinji getting jiggy with it with every female in the series but his mom.

Now, I'm not saying that all those fics are bad. Those are my favorite types of NGE fanfics. I'm just saying that it's a bad idea to be repetitive. Todd McFarline said it best: 'The fastest way to bore yourself is to keep telling the same joke.'

Now for the big question: Why a Sith? And my answer: Why not?

This all started when I started wondering who was the sneakier badguy: Gendo Ikari or Darth Sidious? One guy was able to fool 12 smelly old men in a dark room and whose biggest aspiration was just to be with his dead wife, while the other massacred the Jedi Order and conquered the entire galaxy. (rolls back eyes) Oh yeah, real tough decision.

Another reason was ever since I did my Darth Maul/Sailor Moon crossover fic 'Of Siths and Sailors' I've been wanting to do an anime crossover with each Sith. The Darth Maul story was easy since it was just an action packed fic while the Sidious storyarch will be more intrigued with espionage suspense. But don't worry, once Shinji gets his lightsaber, it's gonna be bloody! (heh heh heh) Sadly though, I haven't really seen all of the Evangelion series. I just saw DVD #1 for rent at a Video World and I thought it be pretty cool to watch on a weekend. So I really don't have a clue how the story goes. That's why I'm trying to find a website that pretty much tells what happens in each episode and possible shows pictures from each episode.

But this won't be a fic showing the same old storyline. The bulk of the chapters will be Shinji receiving his Sith training and Palpatine maneuvering everything to follow his nefarious plans. My goal with Shinji is to turn him into an amalgam of all three of Sidious's other Apprentices: The savage fury and skill of Maul, the charisma and charm of Tyranus in his secret identity, and top it all off with the cold evil of Vader. Scares the Hell out of me just thinking it! (double heh heh heh)


	2. Controlling the Dark Side

_**Disclaimer:**_ Neon Genesis Evangelion is copyright by Funimation and was created by Studio Gainax animation while Darth Sidious and the Sith are trademark of Disney. All these characters are used without permission.

Hey people, I just got to say one thing... WOW! I figured I would get a few more reviews than average because this fic is pretty original, but the response was just amazing. So it is with great pleasure that I now present the second chapter of 'Hidden Power'. One more thing, to answer Amon's question on 'what power is it?' The answer is simple: THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE!

Yes, I know it's been a while since I wrote chapter one and I apologize. It's just that college was really time consuming for me last semester but now that summer is here, hopefully I'll be able to write more. One last thing before the story starts, when chapter three rolls around, I'll have changed the name of the fic from 'Hidden Power' to 'Shinji, Lord of the Sith' just because the second one rolls off the tongue better. Hidden Power was just a name I came up with just a few minutes before I posted the fic. I just used it because I needed a title that wouldn't give away the surprise ending for chapter 1.

Special thanks to Jeff, Steve Vader (I LOVE that name!), and Jess for all those NGE sites they listed in their e-mails and review really helped me a lot. Thanks friends, I couldn't have done this without all of you.

**XXXXXXX  
**_**Shinji, Lord of the Sith**_

_**Chapter Two:**_

_**Controlling the Dark Side**_

**XXXXXXX**

A storm was raging across Tokyo III during the moonless night. The storm was like a monsoon, tearing across the city with wet sharp raindrops. Already the winds had caused thousands of dollars of damage with broken windows and power outages but the city would survive. It was made to withstand an attack by the Angels and so even a monstrous storm couldn't keep it down. All the citizens knew that the safest place to be during a disaster was somewhere safe inside their homes.

Too bad Shinji Ikari wasn't doing this.

This young fool was currently running for his dear life on the worst side of the city. Here, crime ran rampant with narcotics and prostitution reigned supreme. All parents who lived on the other side of the city did their best to persuade their children from coming to this cesspool of crime. But even vermin knew better than be out in a horrible night like this. Only two things can make someone brave dangerous weather on streets where one could expect a mugging every eighty seconds.

Greed and duty.

For Shinji, duty was the reason of his actions. He was in this bad sector only due to him wanting to help the world. The street punks chasing him though, named the Skull gang, just wanted money.

Being chased by an entire gang that seeks only to kill him, a single thought keeps screaming through Shinji's head.

"Why did I wear a white shirt?!" he yelled against the howling winds. "It's so easy to spot in the dark! Why didn't I just go out an bought a black one before all this?!" Shinji cursed himself for wearing his typical school pants and white dress shirt on what should have been a stealth mission. Shinji ran under a streetlight where his shirt reflected the pale electric light.

"THERE'S THE BRAT!" The gang chasing him instantly spotted him with the white glare. The leader of the Skull gang, Blackjak who is a large muscular black man wearing a leather motorcycle jacket and a red bandana, raised a gun.

But before Blackjak fired his firearm, Shinji saw an upcoming alley between two buildings. One was a crackhouse while the other was a safehouse for bad people on the run. Shinji ran between the two evils into the dark alleyway. The shadows kept him hidden from the gang. Shinji did not stop to rest. He knew they would soon find him there and only now did he have the chance to lose them. Once he came out the other side, he would have to zigzag through different alleyways and streets. It was his only chance he had to get away and complete his mission.

The storm rained hard on him. His hair now weighted with stormdrops that would not let up. His clothes clung to his body, all drenched as if he had jumped into a pool wearing them but still he ran on. He had a mission to complete.

Too bad there was a gang member right in front of him holding a 45' magnum.

The punk smiled with four of his teeth missing. "Game's up bitch!" He held the gun with the barrel pointed straight as Shinji's heart. There was only a short distance of four feet between them. The shot was going to be an instant kill.

What they say is true, one's life does flash before one's eyes just before one's death. Shinji let his mind drift back two weeks ago. He still could not believe just how much his life had changed. It all started once he was released from the hospital…

Senetor Palpatine's limo was riding along the sunset covered streets of Tokyo III. The orange glare the Earth's star gave off made the streets appear covered with blood. Fortunately for two people, this blood couldn't be seen from the inside of the black limo with its strongly tinted windows. Within the fancy vehicle, which was the most extravagant that Shinji ever rode in, were three people each doing their job. The driver, a huge black muscle man in a chauffeur's uniform, paid his attention only to the rode, not even acknowledging the conversation going on in the back. He couldn't have heard a word even if he wanted to for the back was completely soundproof do to the thick bulletproof sheet of glass that shielded the back. The other two were both in the back. Their names were Shinji Ikari and the limo's owner, Palpatine, the senator from Tokyo III.

"Would you like another drink, Mr. Ikari?" the senator smiled genuinely.

"Y-yes… sir," Shinji replied shakily before the kind man poured him another grape soda. He had just been discharged from the hospital less than an hour ago. Since he had regained consciousness, Senator Palpatine had been by his side while easing the young man's troubles. A bit later, Misato arrived to inform Shinji that she made some arrangements so that he would be allowed to live with her. Both Shinji and Palpatine were surprise but the elder man supported the idea because a young boy like Shinji should be watched by such a caring young woman. Misato blushed. It appeared that she hadn't been called that in quite a while.

Soon afterwards, Misato had to leave so she could do some last minute work. The captain asked Shinji to go with her to their new home but the senator said that he would give the child a ride. Misato refused but the man simply waved his hand, said she had too much work to do and that he should take Shinji to her home. Misato instantly said the same thing and left. Very strange…

Any-way! After he was discharged from the hospital (his father still hadn't came to see him), Palpatine pulled out a cell-phone and called his large limo to come pick them up. He even offered Shinji a free meal. It was rather surprising to the Third Child that the senator, a man so well defined, mannered, and sophisticated, would chose a Chinese takeout to eat at. During Shinji's hour long limo drive, Palpatine instructed his driver to take the long way, the senator would eat with the young Ikari and share with him the wisdom he had acquired over his many terms in office. Shinji learned how to use chopsticks!

Senator Palpatine smiled as he saw Shinji tear into his second helping of Chinese cuisine, devourer it in seconds. Palpatine chuckled. "Just like your mom."

Shinji stopped eating and stared at the senator. "Sir! My mo-mother? She ate like this?"

Palpatine nodded. "She had quite an appetite. Once at an 'all you can eat' banquet, she had six whole plates for dinner. I… believe she was carrying you at the time. You two together ate more meals than a group of Navy Seals."

Shinji chuckled at the small joke before remembering his mother. "Pl-pl-please tell me something sir. Did she… love me?"

The senator's cheerful gaze momentarily melted into a sad one. "Yes she did Shinji… she loved you more than anything," he said gently. That didn't seem to raise Shinji's spirits so Palpatine continued. "I could never understand why she married someone like your father. He never treated her well."

Shinji blinked. "B-b-but I've s-seen photos of us… all of us… happy." It sounded like Shinji was trying to convince himself more than the senator.

Palpatine shook his head sadly. "No Shinji, that great woman was anything but happy. I've long suspected that the only reason she stayed married to your… father… was only because of you. Gendo," the senator could no longer refer to the elder Ikari as a father, "had always been a rather… unsavory type of fellow whose character boarders easily on the field of being despicable."

"W-what do you mean sir?" Shinji gestured him to continue.

Palpatine lowered his head; he should not ask this question. "Do you remember how your mother died?"

"…" said Shinji. The question so shocked him to the core that he couldn't even answer.

The senator laid a gentle hand on Shinji's shoulders. "Gendo said she died in a horrible accident," Palpatine said sadly. "At least that's what the record said," he added quietly.

"What…do…you…mean?" Palpatine had not said that quiet enough for Shinji not to hear and the young boy wanted an answer.

Palpatine looked Shinji straight into the eyes for a second. He than waved a hand in front of Shinji curious face. "Don't you remember the past, son? That horrible day so many years ago, the day your mother left you? Remember it all Shinji. You need to know." His voice was calm and sincere but it also had a sense of authority in it, conveying what seemed to be an order within. "Do you remember Shinji? Years ago, you were with your mother and Gendo… testing Eva Unit One."

Shinji was shock. Just as the words left the senator's mouth, the dark corners hidden within his mind already seemed to be clearing. "That's right," he said in a low whisper. He suddenly remembered that dark day like it was yesterday. "We were all there… happy, we were so happy walking into the chamber, but than…" Shinji suddenly froze up, as if he lacked the strength to continue.

"Unit One, Shinji," Palpatine spoke gently. "She was going to be the test pilot for Unit One."

"I-I-I…" Shinji's eyes are wide as he remembers. "S-s-she went in the chamber and-and-andandandand-"

"She didn't come out, did she Shinji? She died there."

A string of choked gulps and horrid moans escaped Shinji's mouth. "Her coffin, that thing is her coffin." The very thought seemed to horrify him. "I WAS IN HER COFFIN! OH GOD, OH GOD! Ah-ah-AAAAHHHHHH!"

Instinctively, the aged senator held his youthful passenger in a gentle hold. Shinji wept on the man's shoulder which help muffled his horrible screams. Palpatine didn't care. Shinji was going though something much more painful than any child should have to bare.

Minutes passed but neither of the two care. Shinji was too busy experiencing every nightmare he's had for the last ten years. Comforting Shinji was the only thing that mattered to Senator Palpatine. Finally Shinji mastered the strength to remove himself for the senator's caring hold. "Thank you, sir." Even though Shinji was no longer shrieking, he still looked like he had gone through Hell itself. His cheeks were blood red which matched his blood-streaked eyes. The tears he shed seconds ago left his eyes with a glossy look, as if he were in a daze.

Palpatine smiled gently but before he could say a word, Shinji continued. "Why?" he softly asked.

Palpatine blinked. "Why what, Shinji?"

Shinji had a dazed look in his eyes. "Why did he choose her? Surely father could have picked some volunteer so why did he let my mother go in there and-" Shinji could not finished the sentence before the tears would once again follow.

Palpatine lowered his head. He knew full well that if he told Shinj this, he would never be the same again. "It was so you could pilot Unit One."

"What?" Shinji said quietly.

Palpatine took on a stern look, what he was about to say was going to shatter Shinji. "When Gendo started designing the Evangelions, he determined that the only way for an Eva to work properly was if it contained the soul of an individual who was sacrificed to it. Using the soul's energy, it can generate an AT Field. Understand so far?"

Shinji nodded. Even though the story sounded so crazy, he knew it was true.

Senator Palpatine continued. "After numerous trial and errors for finding the correct type of pilot, your father learned that if the sacrificed soul was someone related to the pilot, the probability of synchronization goes from two percent to fifty-five." The senator trembled ever so slightly as he continued. "And if the soul is a parent… the rate is eighty-six."

"…" Shinji was too shocked to speak as his worst fears were confirmed.

The elder gentleman looked Shinji straight into his eyes, truthfully telling the child every word. "Gendo knew that if his own son was a pilot, his masters would easily hand him such a high position in their order and for him, his wife was just another rung in the ladder of power. That is how your mother died, Shinji. Gendo killed her. I'm sorry."

Shinji lowered his head in a calm manner while his soul was burning with dark emotions.

"Shinji…" Palpatine asked gently. It was normal for anyone to remain quiet after hearing a father murdered their mother but Shinji did not seem to be grieving.

"…they're all the same…"

"Shinji?" the senator asked.

Shinji looked up, his face twisted into a monstrous visage. "They're all the same! My father, Ritsuko, even Misato! They're all the same! They don't care about saving the world! All that matters to them is getting power!" He looked ready to go into a berserk fury. "I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM!" Shinji howled while bashing his fists against the limo's seats, his eyes full of a violent bloodlust that was consuming his soul.

With his soul being engulfed by that dark emotion, Shinji just sat there with his hateful look on his face while the senator stared. After a short moment, Palpatine spoke. "Shinji, what would you say if there was a way to wrest power from those monsters and truly help the world?"

Shinji gripped the senator's arm. "HOW?" he screamed. "HOW CAN I STOP THEM?" Palpatine looked as if he weren't sure to tell him this. Shinji got up in his face. "Please sir! Tell me!"

Palpatine had a dead serious look on his face. "Shinji, if I tell you this, your life will never be the same again. If anything, you'll face more hardships and trials than you've ever faced before."

"TELL ME!"

Palpatine nodded his head slowly. "Very well Shinji. I will tell you." He pushed the intercom button to speck to the chauffeur. "Brutus, drive around a while. I have something important to tell my guest."

"Yes senator," the driver responded.

And so the limo drove off into the setting sun while within the luxurious vehicle, the senator told Shinji things unknown to anyone else on the planet.

**XXXXXXX**

It was over an hour later before Shinji and the senator rode up to Misato's apartment. It was already night time and Misato had all the lights turned on. Together, the two walked up the stairs with their hands full of takeout Chinese food. Palpatine knocked on the door and to their surprise, Misato answered dressed in rather revealing attire. She had on a tight yellow top which hugged her developed breasts nicely and form fitting cut off short-shorts that seem to mold around her hips. Misato was planning to wear this just to help Shinji loosen up and now she was praying there wasn't a photographer around or she may have just doomed the most honest politician she ever knew in a sex scandal.

"Heh heh heh…" Misato blushed while scratching the back of her head. "S-sorry Senator Palpatine. I just thought-"

Palpatine smiled. "No problem dear Misato. It is summer time and the thought of getting out of these bothersome business clothes often comes up in my head. Truthfully, I plan to do so once I reach my home so think nothing of it, Capt. Katsuragi."

Misato beamed. "Thank you sir!" She looked at the senator's slightly wrinkled face and for a short second, wished he was only forty years younger. Heck, she wouldn't compline if it were only thirty. She glanced down at Shinji and was going to imagine what he would look like in another decade and she froze. Shinji had a haunted look with him as if he had just learned that his best friend just died. There was even a trace of guilt in his eyes. Like he felt responsible for his friend's death just for being alive.

She looked at the senator who had a sad smile on his face. "Mr. Ikari has had a rough twenty-four hours Misato. I believe he needs something to help relax him. Sooo… We brought Chinese!" He grinned like a child as he lifted up two plastic bags full of little boxes in each hand.

Soon all three of the of them were eating yet another course of Chinese cuisine. Once they were finished, Misato felt ready to divide the chores between her and Shinji with the most fair and time honored contest ever created: Rock, paper, scissors!

Palpatine would act as the referee since he was a fair and impartial man. While Misato was cracking her knuckles in preparation of the match, the senator took the young Shinji into a corner of the room. "Just keep throwing 'paper' Shinji. The captain looks like a constant 'rock' user to me."

"Yes sir," Shinji quietly obeyed despite how ridiculous the advice sounded.

Next, Misato and Shinji stood apart from one another with Senator Palpatine between them. "Rock… paper… scissors… MATCH!"

And on cue, Shinji threw paper while Misato choose rock.

She blushed slightly. "Well… I… guess Monday's chores are mine. Heh heh heh. ROUND TWO!"

Palpatine smiled playfully and continued. "Rock… paper… scissors… MATCH!"

Misato: Rock.

Shinji: Paper.

Five games later…

Misato was currently wailing over having to do all the chores for two people when she couldn't even fully take care of herself. She was crying so loud that to much of Shinji and the senator's surprise, a warm water penguin warbled to the weeping Katsuragi with a bear can held between its flippers. With a grateful sob, Misato took the beer and chugged it. "Thanks Pen Pen, you're my only friend!"

And perhaps for the first time in his life, Palpatine's jaw dropped. "I… think… I'll be heading back to my suite. GoodluckShinji!" He dove out the door.

Shinji was too busy being slack jawed to even wave goodbye while staring at the penguin.

Later that night…

Shinji Ikari dreamed. That was nothing unusual in itself but this dream was different. This time, he knew he wasn't dreaming. He was in a dull gray foggy chamber that seemed to stretch on forever into eternity. Shinji looked around, hoping to find anything to offset the dab gray that seem to extend on and on. He looked down and saw he was wearing a jet black martial artist dogi with the sleeves cut off.

"Where am I?" he asked to no one.

"Somewhere in between," came a voice from the void. "Between life," a shape began to form in the dark fog. "And between death. A place not in the world of those of dreams nor in the land of the conscience. This place is everywhere and nowhere." The shape was a man dressed in a black hooded rob, completely concealing himself. "This is a dream world created by the Force called a 'dreamscape'."

It was strange for Shinji, he had never been told his teacher's name but somewhere in the dark reaches of his mind, a name was whispered once he saw the mysterious figure approach. Darth Sidious. "Sir?" Shinji addressed his master.

Beneath the hood, Darth Sidious frowned. "Do not call me that. Not here. In public, yes, but during your training, never. You will call me 'Master' and I will refer to you as my apprentice. Understand apprentice?"

Shinji bowed his head. "Yes… master. When will my training be complete? The longer I train, the more lives my… father ruins." Shinji started shuddering as he thought of all the evil his father was capable of. "Please help me, Lord Sidious. I have to stop him!

"All in time," Sidious cut him off. "Once the Sith are whole again, your father and SEELE will fall and this world will be brought back to order, my young apprentice."

Shinji nodded even though he still had questions. "Than I am a Sith Lord?"

"Not yet," Darth Sidious answered. "Once you have completed your training, will you be worthy of the name Darth."

"Yes… master." Shinji finally stood up from the ground. He had to be ready for anything his master was going to put him through. "What is the first step of the training?"

The Sith Lord stared hard at his student. "Focus your rage." Shinji did. Ever since he came to Tokyo III, it was so much easier to become angry. His father ignored him. He was treated as a weapon by Ritsuko. Even Misato kept referring to him as just a pilot and not a person. "Use your rage, allow it to swell out of you. Let it expand across the two worlds and tell me what you feel."

Shinji tired. "I feel nothing master. I-I may not have an affinity with the Force. H-How can we be sure I do?"

"Your hate is not strong enough now but you do have the potential. Think back to when you fought the Third Angel. It had shattered the Eva yet you still triumph." Sidious stared coldly at the young boy. "Why?"

Shinji recalled the past battle. "It was the advice I was given by Senator Palpatine. He told me to look for a weak spot and I did. Once I found it, I struck and killed it."

"How did you know that the alien's weak spot was the unguarded S2 engine? How could you have known you could have used the alien's own weapons to give you enough momentum to tear through it? All this was possible through the Force. You are strong with the dark side young Ikari." The old wizard proclaimed sagely.

Shinji couldn't understand Sidious' proclamation. "But the dark side is the part of the Force that is created by hate, fear, anger, and death. I wasn't feeling these when I killed the angel."

"Weren't you?" Sidious asked. "What were you feeling during the senator's speech?"

"I-I… I was determined master. Knowing I had the senator's faith, I was able to win."

Darth Sidious glared. "No it was not." He countered emotionlessly. "It was hate. Hate at the people at NERV for doubting you. Your father, Dr. Akagi, even Misato herself doubted you would win. You hated them for their lack of faith. All your life, people have looked down on you, never trusting you to do what's right. Doubt and despair are two old friends of yours Shinji. But during the battle with the Angel, you became aquatint with two others: Anger and hate. When you embraced them, you became a reciprocal of the Force. It made you aware of the Angel's weakness then it told you how to strike it. The Force is with you Ikari. Now let me awaken it within you."

Shinji bowed his head. "Yes master. I am prepared for the training. Let us begin."

And so what seemed to be entire days passed while Shinji trained with Darth Sidious. The dark man told him many things, things that seemed to be impossible but things Shinji knew to be true. All of these lessons continued in the dark world they were at. Finally after what seemed to be weeks of nonstop training passed, his master had an important announcement.

"It is time apprentice. You will return back to the living world." Sidious ordered. "We shall continue tomorrow night."

Shinji breathed hard. "T-tomorrow? But master, how will I explain to everyone where I've been for the pass two weeks? I know they'll be wondering."

"Explain nothing. They won't ask you any questions. Who would ask a young boy where he's been after spending the last eight hours asleep in his bed?"

"EIGHT HOURS?!" Shinji was flabbergasted. "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR EIGHT HOURS?! BUT IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS TO ME!"

"Never underestimate the power of the dark side." The Sith Lord explained just as the entire world become more blurry.

And with a heartbeat later, Shinji woke up in his bed. He was not wearing the black dogi he had in the dream world but his typical boxers and nightshirt. He sat up in his bed, looking around his 'lovely suite' as Misato put it. "Eight hours here… two weeks there…" he muttered. His training there could have been a dream but deep down Shinji knew that was impossible. He could recall every moment over there with perfect clarity.

Shinji decided to test himself. Over the last 'two weeks' of training, Darth Sidious had just begun instructing Shinji in becoming one with the Force. It took Shinji the first five days there to achieve the proper mind set just to 'feel' the Force. Between Sidious' lessons on how the world worked, Shinji would spend all his time in silent meditation. The first lesson was to 'sense' what surrounded him. In that dark world, Shinji had yet to done this task but after two weeks of training, why should he not try?

Sidious' words ran through Shinji's head. 'Use your rage, let it swell out of you, let it fill your room, let it flow out of the hallway and into other rooms.' Shinji concentrated. It was strange but he could actually feel the furniture in his room. He could 'see' the books he left on his table. He could see the articles of clothes in his dresser even though all the drawers were shut. He could even tell that there was a yen note that fell out of his pocket underneath his bed. Was everything his master told him true? "My rage senses this?" he asked himself.

'No,' came a voice from the dark. 'Your rage lets you connect to the Force. The Force surrounds your room, this city, this world, the galaxy. It connects to everything and your rage connects you to it.'

Shinji was startled. "Master? W-Where are you?"

'Everywhere." Sidious responded. "I could feel it when you called upon the dark side after you awoke. It is good that you train, my young apprentice." Shinji smiled at the kind words his master spoke but for some reason, he felt this was the closest thing to praise he would ever receive from him. "But do not reveal yourself. It is not our time to strike… yet."

"…master…" Shinji choked out. "We have to stop SEELE from destroying our world… The longer we wait, the more they dig their claws in." he whispered. It would not be good if Misato had heard Shinji talking to himself. "We have to finish my training soon before it's too late."

"Fear not SEELE, my old friend. I have already taken steps to keep them in check until we reveal ourselves. Concentrate on the here and now and think not of SEELE's downfall. I want you to meditate only. I will instruct you in the rest." Suddenly the voice drifted off into the darkness.

"Yes, master. I will obey." Shinji bowed his head. Darth Sidious was right. SEELE's downfall would wait until he had finished his training. Right now though, he had to go to school. He knew Misato was assigned to keep notes on him. It was best to keep his guardian in the dark about such matters such as the eventual take over of the world.

And so two weeks passed in the real world. During the day, Shinji was a model student and roommate to Misato. Even though he did help out with the chores that weren't his and was quite polite, Misato could tell that the young boy was always deep in thought. She did make a note in her reports to his father that Shinji had seemed to take up meditation for relaxation. It seemed that if Shinji wasn't doing school work, training in his EVA, or doing chores, he was always meditating. The boy had not taken up so much as an hour of watching television since he came to live with her. To Misato, it was not healthy for a fourteen year old boy to live without any relaxation. At least at night the Third Child slept peacefully.

But the night was different for Shinji. During those long nights, where each one stretched into several weeks, Shinji was in the dreamscape. There he would allow his anger and rage swallow him whole under the careful eye of his master. During those long, so very long nights, Shinji would focus into the Force. He grew with a strong affinity to the here and now and was well attuned to the living Force, albeit the dark side.

This dark pattern continued to repeat. Living the day as a normal student in Tokyo III; training to be a Dark Lord of the Sith by night. This pattern continued for two weeks until one day in the dreamscape…

"Apprentice, I have task for you." Sidious proclaimed while looking down at his student who kneel before him on one knee.

"I am yours to command, master. What is the task?"

"Tomorrow night at 11:00 pm, you will receive an e-mail titled 'Important Notice'. It was sent by another in my employ. Do not read it. You are to download it to a CD and bring it to this location immediately after you receive it." Sidious told Shinji the place he wanted the CD brought and the boy shuddered. It was in the worst part of the city. There crime ran at an all time high and a murder happened approximately every twelve minutes. For a young boy to go there so late could be akin to suicide. "Bring this disk to me that night, no matter what the cost."

"I-I-" Shinji at a loss of words. He could really die doing this. But for the sake of the world… "I will not fail you, Lord Sidious."

Right at 11:00 pm, the e-mail came for Shinji. It was hard to resist the urge to open it but his master had commanded him against it. He copied the e-mail to CD before making sure all traces of it was removed from his e-mailbox. He placed the CD into a square holder and stuffed it in his pants' pocket. It was time to leave.

Thunder rolled in the distance. Shinji saw a flash of lightning across the dark clouds that lined the sky. "Couldn't he have chose a better night to send me on this task?" he asked to no one. He had to look on the bright side (Shinji chuckled at his little joke), with the storm going on, it would decrease the chance of someone spotting him.

He was dressed in his school uniform, black pants and white dress shirt, as he tip-toed out of Misato's apartment. Currently the exhausted captain was passed out in her bed, having preformed a double shift at NERV. Part of the double shift was so she could bring Senator Palpatine up to speed about the workings of NERV. It was quite fortunate for Shinji that Misato was far too tired to ever notice Shinji leaving during a horrible storm.

It was a hard trial getting to the wrong side of the city. With weather like the storm going on, finding a taxi was impossible. There was a city advisory going on, informing citizens to remain in their homes for the duration of the storm. Even the city buses weren't out in this weather. To make things even worst, the winds were so fierce that they tore Shinji's umbrella free and it went flying through the air.

Currently, the Third Child had a look not unlike a drown rat. His hair was soaked. He looked even paler than usual. Now to top it all off, he had lost his umbrella. "C'mon Shinji. Nobody ever said being a Sith was going to be easy," he muttered as he walked down the empty streets.

It was close to 1:00 am before he had crossed into the bad side of Tokyo III, the south side. Shinji sighed. He was going to get a cold walking in this weather, he just knew it. But it wasn't just intuition and common sense that told him. During all those weeks in the dreamscape, Shinji was taught how to do Force scans on himself. Already he could tell that a small virus was infuriating his body. He could feel that it would be another ten hours before the first symptoms would show themselves.

"I wonder when Lord Sidious will teach me techniques to heal myself? I know he said once I had become perfectly in tuned with the Force but how much longer will that be?" Shinji muttered. It was impossible for anyone to hear him. The soaring winds were more than enough to block out any sound he made.

Too bad that also meant he couldn't hear the six member gang slowly creeping up on him.

"Dat him?" one of them jerked a thumb at Shinji. "He look like da photo."

Another nodded. "Yeah man, it's him. We get him now?"

The leader, Blackjak, frowned. "We don't need him, just the disk. So lets just play this as a simple mugging, take his wallet and the disk, and the kid won't know that's what we're really after."

Three hours ago, a stern looking fellow in a black suit showed up at their hideout. Such an insult would have earned an instant death except this fellow had quite a deal. According to the suit, a young boy would soon came through their territory to deliver a compact disk. If the gang were able to capture this disk, they would be paid five million yen. As proof the man was serious, he dropped a stack of ten hundred yen notes on the table along with a picture of their target. 'Get the disk and you'll get the rest. I don't care about the boy. Kill him, torture him, sell him off to a male child-molester, I don't care! Just get the disk.'

Blackjak was already tasting that money now. He turned his attention to his gang. "We got a member in each alley here, right?"

The one next to Blackjak nodded. "Yeah man. There's a Skull in all da' alleys for the next three blocks. Ain't no cops around cuz da storm."

Blackjak nodded. "Good. Now remember the plan, we chase this kid around, make him so scared he dives in blind in an alley where a SKULL waste him and takes the disk. Just make sure you lead the kid into one. He gets too far away, we won't be able to spot him in this storm." He stared hard at his fellow gang members. "I'll kill any of you that screws up here. The suit said after tonight, the contract ends and the disk becomes worthless. We gotta get that disk now!"

Right than Shinji turned around and saw he was being followed by the Skull gang and started running.

"AFTER HIM!" Blackjak yelled. He cursed himself. He just had to scream that last part out. No surprise the kid started running even though it was strange.

And so our story continues.

Shinji shook as the large man pointed his gun at him. "Gimme da' CD bitch!" he barked. He was rather short man, only about five foot five inches. To make up for his puny appearance, he dressed himself in tattered jeans and a leather jacket over his shirtless chest. He had a red handkerchief covering the top of his head. The young punk had the intelligence not to wear any sunglasses on a night like this. The Skull aimed his gun at Shinji's heart. He had an evil smile on his face that spoke dark volumes.

Shinji could see that there was a full four feet between him and the Skull mugger. There was noway he could dodge in time. But Shinji did not give into the fear that all muggers want there victims to. Shinji gave into hate. Hatred directed at himself. He had failed his master. He had failed the world and he had failed himself in becoming its protector.

And hatred gave way to the dark side.

Following Sidious' training, Shinji's consciousness expanded. Not only was his surroundings becoming more clear to him but so was his enemy. Shinji could actually 'pick up' his enemy's emotions. Greed and arrogance was strong in him. But there was something else inside of him, something that shouldn't have been there. Doubt. There was something about this instance that caused the mugger to doubt himself. Figuring that out would be the key to Shinji's survival.

There was no reason why the mugger should doubt himself. He had Shinji held at gun point. His gang was roaming the streets, more than ready to come to his aid. He had a gun so why doubt himself?

The doubt was directed to his weapon. A gun is a dangerous instrument. There should be no reason to doubt its effectiveness… if it was loaded.

"You're out of bullets." It was statement made with cool determination.

The Skull grinned. "Heh, you wish." He pointed the gun away from Shinji's heart to his head. It did not escape Shinji's notice that the Skull's hand was trembling.

Still enveloped by the dark side, Shinji jumped and tackled the Skull. The Skull, shocked that a little boy had the heart, crashed hard into the street. He made the mistake of dropping his gun. Shinji capitalize on the Skull's mistake and picked the gun up not by the handle but by the barrel. On top of the Skull, Shinji raised the gun up poised for the punk's skull. "Filthy!" crisk "Street!" crunch "Trash!" crackcrackcrackcrack

Shinji raised the gun for the sixth strike when he suddenly stopped. Something was wrong with the man. Before he tackled him, the Skull was a part of the Force. His emotions traveled in waves for Shinji to feel but now the waves were not as strong. Slowly the man stopped showing up in the Force. Once he was a reciprocal of fear and doubt but now the emotions were fading away. Than it occurred to Shinji just what was happening to the Skull.

He was dying.

"…no…" Shinji whispered. Each passing second, the man showed up less and less in the Force. He no longer showed in the Force. The Skull had died. As Shinji looked down on the dead body he sat on, only one sentence found its way out. "I… killed him…"

It was true. Shinji could no longer feel the Force emitting from the corpse. Shinji could not tell if he was crying or if it was just rain drops running down his cheeks. All he wanted to do was just lay there and cry, begging for the man's forgiveness. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. If Shinji didn't get the disk to Darth Sidious in time, who knew how many lives would be lost. It could contain information on SEELE's newest weapon or the date of the Forth Angel's arrival. The longer he stayed her, the worst the odds were that he would fail.

And if Shinji fails, the world fails. "I… I… don't have time… to mourn…" Shinji stopped trembling as his resolve strengthen. "I have a mission to complete!"

Shinji leapt off the body and placed the empty gun in his pocket. It wouldn't bode well for the Order of the Sith to be revealed by a cop finding Shinji's prints on a gun handle. He ran down the streets. Behind him were the footsteps of the Skull gang now after Shinji not just for the reword money but for vengeance over their fallen brother.

But this time it was different. This time it was not the Skull gang chasing a scared little boy. Now it is Shinji, Apprentice to the Sith, that hunts them!

Shinji instantly turned left, heading towards another alley. He could feel that there was no Skulls waiting for him down this path. The gang followed him with Blackjak leading the way. To their surprise, Shinji passed by a trash can and grabbed a crunched up soda can. Next Shinji threw the can with maddening speed into a dark alley across the street. A short 'bop' could be heard from the Skull hiding there.

"What are ya' waiting for?!" Shinji screamed into the shadow where he threw the can. "You playing with yourself or something?!"

Just as Shinji planned, a Skull ran out of the dark shadows. The Skull joined up with the posse chasing their target. "I'LL KILL DAT BRAT!" He pulled out his firearm and aimed but before he fired, Shinji suddenly jumped over into another empty alley. This bought him out of the line of fire. "HE GOT AWAY!"

Blackjak looked over the Skull that just joined them and frowned. This wasn't going as plan at all. The original plan was to chase Shinji into an alley where a Skull was hiding, have that guy waste the kid and take take the disk. Something was different. At first, the kid looked panic when they started chasing him but after he bashed Charlie's skull in, everything changed. It seemed like they were going after a totally different person. The others didn't know it but Blackjak could tell. Right before Shinji turned into the empty alley to grab the can, his face changed. Before there was typical panic written on the target's face. Now there was a frightening cold look in his eyes.

Blackjak knew it was a different game now. The boy knew which alleys had Skulls in them and which didn't. The boy could even tell when someone was about to shoot at him without having to look behind. Blackjak did not know how the boy was doing this and was becoming scared.

Blackjak's head shot up as he saw Shinji toss something into another empty which struck another Skull hidden in the shadows. Just as the boy planned, the Skull charged out of the alley and joined his gang in the chase.

"I don't believe this!" the new one, Bloody, screamed. "How'd he know I was in there?!"

"Ask him when ya' grab him!" Blackjak screamed.

Shinji dove into another empty alley and by the time the Skull gang caught up, Shinji had cleared the entire alley.

"Jesus, he's fast." Blackjak muttered. He was beginning to think about abandon the hunt and just head back to Skull HQ but chose against it. Visions of thousand yen notes floating though his head convinced him otherwise. He led the posse into the alley but once they cleared it, they lost all track of the target.

"DAMNIT! WHERE IS HE?!" Blackjak yelled. They all looked around but with the storm going on, their field of vision was sorely lacking. "SPREAD OUT!"

The Skulls were slow to respond. Nether of them wanted to go out too far into the storm. Visibility had shorten a great distance. It would be pretty easy for their pray to sneak up behind them.

But this was not Shinji's plan. Shinji stood hidden behind a metal trash can a half block away from the Skull. He was out of the alleys where the Skulls suspected. It was amazing what he had just done. Even though he spent the last ten minutes running nonstop from a mad mob in a storm, he was not the least bit tired. Wether it was the adrenaline pumping in his veins or the Force giving him the strength, he did not know nor did he care. Everything was going along with his plan. All eight of the Skulls were currently huddle together. Above them was a powerline bringing electricity to this entire block. Best of all was that the Skulls were all standing in the best electric conductor in nature.

"I've already killed once tonight…" Shinji said quietly. "What's eight more?"

Shinji looked up at the powerline a block away and concentrated. This would be the only chance he had to get rid of his chasers with one stroke. He focused on the part where the line met the pole. If he could just loosen it enough to fall, he could complete his mission without the Skulls interfering.

"Focus," he whispered to himself. He could see the line; he could feel where it was connected to the pole. He focused on the weakest part, a nail that held the line in place. Slowly the nail started being pulled out. The line loosen slightly with the slack. Shinji continued concentrating. He was in a hurry. If the Skulls split up, it would be impossible to track them down and kill them one at a time with his limited skills. He had to hurry before they did so but his control of the Force was not enough.

Unfortunately a large truck drove up the street with its headlights on high. All the Skulls turned and saw Shinji's shape in the truck's lights before it drove on. Shinji could feel the excite emitting from them as Blackjak and Bloody pulled out their guns. These two did not doubt their guns. They planned to use them.

Shinji was about to die. Fear grew in his heart. He was really going to die due to his lack of control. Shinji heard the two cock their guns. His blood ran cold. Death was upon him and it frightened him. All because of his weak control!

Suddenly Shinji recalled a memory his master taught him. Darth Sidious taught him to use his anger, hatred, and fear to gain power.

Fear, Shinji realized in a moment of dawning comprehension. Fear led to the dark side.

All of the Skulls smiled as they pictured the reword money for the disk but they would never receive it. The dark side now controlled Shinji. Fear led to control.

Fear, Shinji considered in amazement as the final pieces clicked together, fear is his ally.

Shinji glared at the powerline and with one swift moment, the entire thing was ripped out of the pole. Blue electric sparks ran down along the raindrops with the powerline behind them. All the Skulls looked up at the odd colors and froze when they saw the line falling. With a sickening sizzle, the sparking end landed in the pool of water they stood in. Than the horrible sounds of their bodies being racked with thousands of volts sounded out along with their screams.

snapsizzlezizzz

Their flesh burned with the current running through them. They stood their ground as the current ravaged their bodies, smoldering their skin and melting their organs. Suddenly the voltage stopped as half the lights for this sector of Tokyo III went offline.

This did not mattered to Shinji. As it was before, these men no longer showed up in the Force. They had died. Shinji had killed. Again. And something inside him said he wasn't going to stop for a long while.

Not bothering to waste any time, Shinji continued onward. He could feel the disk in his pocket. It was not damaged at all; the mission could still continue. "Best get this to Lord Sidious." With that said, Shinji continued onward. He spared a pacing glance at the dead Skull gang. Their bodies still smoked from burnt flesh and melted organs. Shinji felt ill. "It had to be done," he said hoping to ease his guilt. It didn't help. With firm resolve, Shinji moved on.

It was another hour before Shinji arrived at the warehouse. The rest of the journey wasn't too difficult. There were still a few Skulls skulking around in alleys hoping to jump Shinji. But with Shinji's Force Awareness, he was able to sense if there were any in his path. If so, Shinji would just walk a block out of his way to avoid them.

Finally he made it to the warehouse where Sidious was at. It was a steelworks factory that closed down after Second Impact years ago. Shinji walked inside. He half expected the place to be lined with the latest in technology but the only thing new in the building was a simple computer desk with a printer and the works. Shinji didn't quite care though. He was tired, wet, and exhausted. He felt the urge just to pass out there when he heard a voice speak up.

"I see you have completed your task, my young apprentice."

Shinji turned around and saw the Sith Lord approach. Shinji forgot his exhaustion and dropped to one knee. "I have, master. I have brought you the disk as ordered." He held up the disk to Sidious like an offering to a god.

Darth Sidious took the disk and held it in his wrinkly, bony fingers to examine it. After a short pause he walked over to the computer terminal and placed the disk in the CD-rom and hit the 'print' button. Both Sidious and Shinji waited patiently as the printer printed. Sidious stood next to the computer while Shinji remained kneeling on the floor. After a short moment, it printed out a single sheet of paper. Sidious took the paper and read it. The Sith Lord faced his apprentice. "You have done well. You successfully traveled the city, braved its harsh weather, and murdered any who stood in your way." Sidious paused as he felt Shinji's heart wavered over the mention of the murders. "You grieve for them." It was less a statement and more of an accusation.

Shinji tried to lie but found the idea lying to his master to be impossible. "I… yes master, I do. I… regret my actions but I still would have done them." He looked up from his kneeling position to stare into his master's eyes. "I'm here to save this world and if I have to kill one man or a thousand, I will. So I ask you Lord Sidious, what is thy bidding?"

Darth Sidious looked at his apprentice and mauled over his words. "Rise, my young apprentice and read what you have brought me." Sidious held the paper out for Shinji to take it.

Shinji did so and his jaw dropped. His exhaustion was forgotten as he shook with rage. "This… is what you sent for me..." His lips twisted into a terrible snarl. "I KILLED nine people for this?!"

"Yes," Sidious responded without showing any emotion. "Your true task was to survive against the harsh elements and the Skull gang which I had an employee hire to attack."

"You… hired them?" Shinji could scarcely believe it.

"Yes, I did. And I can say that you passed the test perfectly. Anything that got in your path was removed by whatever means necessary. You have proven to me that you do have the strength to kill anyone who crosses you. Not only that but I see you've acquired a better understanding of the powers at your disposer." Right than Sidious' hands sparkled with Dark Force Lightning. "Do you have anything to add, my young apprentice?"

Shinji bit back his anger. He remembered once when he spoke up against Sidious in the dreamscape and was punished with the Force Lightning. Even though it wasn't in the real world, Shinji could remember each second he burned under the lightning punishment. "No master, I do not." Suddenly Shinji felt very dizzy. It appeared he finally had reached the his limit for the night. With no energy left, Shinji passed out.

Sidious walked to his unconscious student. Even though the boy was angry at him, Shinji still showed respect and would continue following his master's will. Perfect traits for a Sith Apprentice. Sidious was quite amaze that Shinji survived. If only he found the boy after his father abandon him, SEELE would already have fallen. But this was not to be. Darth Sidious had to train Shinji now, that was why he employed the 'Dreamscape' world that only mighty Siths could use. SEELE had set up Third Impact sooner than he thought and so had no choice but to speed up Shinji's training.

Most Siths who were trained this way developed uncontrollable violent mood swings from having their mind engulfed too much in the dark side during the early days of training. However it turned out that Shinji was able to control the rage instead and strengthen his own abilities. Soon SEELE would fall and the universe will under the rule of the Sith.

Sidious looked down at his apprentice who laid passed out on the floor. It was hard to imagine this was the same boy who had willingly slaughtered nearly a dozen people an hour ago. This hate and obedience would serve Sidious well when he conquered the galaxy. "And you, my young apprentice, will stand at my side."

**XXXXXXX**

Epilogue:

The next day...

"Achoo!"

"Bless you Shinji," quipped Misato to her young patient. "Really Shinji, just what were you thinking going out in that storm last night?"

Shinji sniffled. "I'd tod yuu, I hadda ged up cuz I herd a noise. Id cudda been a bugler! I'd spend ten minutes looging out der for one in da' storm before I com bag in!"

Misato chuckled. After the pass two weeks of seeing Shinji so serious, it was quite a pleasant change to see him being defensive while justifying his excuse for getting the flu. "That reminds me! I told the staff you couldn't come in today cause of your flu," Misato decided to leave out the fact that Gendo didn't even seem to care about how serious the illness was when she told everyone. "Senator Palpatine came by earlier to see how we were fuctioning and when he heard how sick you were, guess what he did?" Misato question with a playful smile.

"Whad?" deadpan Shinji.

Misato beamed cheerfully and held out a steaming bowl. "He had an aid fix you some of his personal chicken-noodle soup!"

Shinji stared at the soup bowl like he wanted to take it and stuff down Misato's throat. "Did he'd say whad recipe he'd use?

Misato blinked at such an odd question. "Actually yes. He said it was a recipe that was just delivered to him last night. Try it anyway, it smells pretty good!"

"Bloody chiggin-noodle soup..." Shinji moaned as he started eating.

_End chapter two…_

**XXXXXXX**

Flame me if you will, but gosh darnit is this chapter brilliant! Imagine, killing nine people over a recipe of chicken noodle soup!

Sorry again about the long wait but like I said, college really got in the way of my writing. I hope to do more soon but right now, I'd like to work on some more 'NGE Theater'. I hope everyone likes this chapter. Personally, I think it's pretty cool and has a touch of dark comedy to it. One more thing, when I get this story finish, I want you to think about how much powerful Shinji has become since this chapter. Here, it strained him just to rip out a little bitty powercord out of a pole. You have no idea how much power he'll have when he goes up against Kaoru later. Heh heh heh. Seriously though, check out how much power Darth Maul had in my fic 'Darth Maul: of Siths and Sailors'. Also I'd like to pay tribute to the awesome 'Spiderman' game for X-Box. I decided to use the Skull gang from that game for this fanfic. Take my word for it, if you have the money than you should buy that game!

I have a question. I consider myself pretty well versed in SW facts and trivia but I don't think Palpatine has a first name. Any suggestions?

Until next time my loyal fans, may the Force be with you!


	3. Tests of the Sith

_**Disclaimer:**_ Neon Genesis Evangelion is copyright by A.D. Vision and was created by Studio Gainax animation while Darth Sidious and the Sith are trademark of Disney. All these characters are used without permission.

WCain Man here. Hope you like this chapter. I just finished 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' and got the 'evil' ending. I'm only going to say this once: PLAY THAT GAME! Go out to Wal-Mart and shell out the fifty bucks cause take it from it, it is the best SW game ever! After playing that, I KNOW George Lucas would be proud. Hope you like it.

**XXXXXXX  
**_**Shinji, Lord of the Sith**_

_**Chapter Three:**_

_**Tests of the Sith**_

**XXXXXXX**

Tests are horrible things. Ask any college student and they will tell you that. Tests are terrible to undergo.

Sith tests are the worst.

The Dark Lord eyed his apprentice coolly from beneath his robes. Shinji was wearing a black hakama minus the shirt. He was quite muscular now. Practicing countless Sith katas for hours non-stop would earn anyone a firm body. His body, though, would not be tested this time. This was a history test.

Darth Sidious walked circles Shinji in a slow methodical pace. Shinji did not follow his master's steps. He stared straight ahead, never once looking to the side. Sith look towards the future, not the past which Jedi cling to.

"Tell me, my young apprentice, who were the ones that lead Naga Sadow to the civilized galaxy?"

Shinji closed his eyes as he reached into the reaches of his memory. "5000 years ago, it was Gav and Jori Daragon who lead the dark lord-" he strained to correctly pronounce the name "-Naga Sadow from Korriban, beginning the Great Hyperspace War." Shinji breathed a sigh of relief. He spoke it as it was pronounce. Once he said "Nega Shadow" and had earned several painful shocks from Sidious' dark force lightning.

"Good, my apprentice. Very Good. Now... which Daragon sibling was Naga Sadow's apprentice?"

"It... was the brother, Gav. Later, the fool denounced the teachings of his master and led the Republic to the Sith Lord's base. Gav died by Naga Sadow's hands afterwards."

"What was the name of Exar Kun's apprentice and how did the traitor die after betraying his master?"

Easy question. "The traitorous apprentice was Ulic Qel-Droma and he died from being shot in the back by a glory seeking pilot. An ignoble death for an ignoble man."

"And what was the fate of the apprentice, Darth Malak, who betrayed his master, Darth Revan, to the Jedi?"

"Malak died by his former master's hands; though Revan was Sith no longer. He had returned to ranks of the Jedi and later married Bastila Shan, the very Jedi who captured him and help the Jedi erase his memory as a Sith Lord."

"A millennia ago, how did Darth Bane's student, Kaan, meet his end?"

"Kaan was killed after he tried to murder Darth Bane with a 'Thought Bomb', a Force weapon that suicidal consumes everything within the blast radius in an attempt to kill Bane and the Jedi. The Sith Lord survived as was his destiny while the traitor did not."

"Your knowledge of our history is quite admirable. But what lesson is there to learn from all these apprentices?"

Shinji's emotions flared. "Apprentices who betray their Master die ignoble deaths, often by their own Master's hands! An apprentice's duty is to be his master's sword and shield! Only when the master dies by his own accord may the apprentice ascend to be the master!"

Sidious nodded, darkness emitting from his pleasure for his pupil's intelligence. He had trained Shinji well. He clapped in approval. "You both understand and comprehend Sith history. You have done well in your teachings. Perhaps you should be rewarded? Would that please you, my young apprentice?"

"Master, I will accept anything from you be it a reward or strife."

Sidious gave a soft laugh, a laugh that sounded more hollow than anything Shinji ever heard before. "I believe that is what you would call, the 'textbook answer'. Be honest, my apprentice, what do you desire?"

Shinji could tell that there was something in Sidious' tone and that another lie would not be wise. He bowed his head. "Master, I want to further my training. I want to be stronger in both body and the Force. I want... real training. I want the kind of training that would break a Navy SEAL! I want to be train and be able to slaughter a legion of Jedi! The training that would let me kill my father!"

Sidious' lips twisted into a smile. "Very well. You shall receive... that training. I hope you have the fortitude to endure."

Shinji kneeled. "I will, master. I promise."

Eight days later at the NERV medical wing...

Ritsuko was stumped. She was on the phone with Gendo Ikari, her lover. "I'm sorry but I have no explanation. Somehow, your son has undergone... changes."

"Will this affect his standing as a pilot?" Gendo cut straight to the point, not concern with his child's welfare.

"The changes seem focus only on the body and I see no negative effects to the mind so-"

"Yes or no, doctor. Can he still pilot?"

"..." Ritsuko stared at the phone. "Yes. Yes, I believe he can still pilot the Eva."

"Good. Inform me if there is a significant change in his synchronization. Anything else... tell Capt. Katsuragi." click

Ritsuko stared at the receiver and sighed. That was the man she wanted to marry. She sighed and hung the phone just as Misato entered into her office.

"Morning, Rits!" Misato waved cheerfully. "How did Shinji's checkup go? Think I'll need to dress in my nurse outfit again?"

Ritsuko tsk. "God, Misato, I always knew you were a pedophile."

Misato shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a joke. But seriously, how is he?"

Ritsuko held up two photos and passed one to Misato. "Take a look. This is from two weeks ago, just after Shinji beat the Third Angel."

"Yeah, it's him alright. Same skinny body and built like a twig." She grinned. "But can I ask why you keep bare-chested photos of Shinji in your office?"

"Wha-at? What the hell does that mean?"

"I'm just wondering which of us is the pedophile. I mean, really Rits! When was the last time you went out on a date? Every Friday, you speed the night at home with all those cats like a crazy old bag."

"Young people have cats!"

Misato rolled her eyes. "Sure they do, Rits. Sure they do."

Ritsuko smacked her desk. "Where the hell do you get off calling me a-" Ritsuko wanted to smack herself for letting her friend get to her. "Really Misato, grow up."

"And stop messing with your head? Never."

"Look! Let's just get to the point!" Ritsuko handed Misato the second photo. "Here's a picture of the Third Child taken this morning. Notice anything different?"

Misato looked at the photo and gasped. Shinji was so... muscular! He was scrawny no more. He lacked enough muscles to make him a body builder. Instead he had a form more in keeping with an acrobat: Muscular without enough bulk to slow him down and every muscle being a steel spring, ready to lash out.

Misato's jaw hung loose for a moment. "How?"

"Don't know. At first, I thought it was just steroids but his psych profile says he's not the type. Also a blood test proved he's clean, no steroids or drugs of any kind."

"Wow. Ah-Ah-I notice... Shinji practicing some katas for the last few days but... but this isn't... I mean, he couldn't-"

"Doesn't seem possible, does it?" Ritsuko shook her head. "At first I thought it was due to his synchronization with Eva but we don't see Rei with D-cups, do we?"

Misato continued to stare at the photograph. Shinji looked... rather handsome. "Du-Du-Do you have any idea how this happen?"

"Heh. If I did, I would quit my job here and live off the royalties selling it too every fat slob alive. My summer home would be in Vienna where countless Mr. Universe wannabes would strip dance whenever I snapped my fingers."

Misato woke out of her stupor and rolled her eyes. "And you say I need to grow up. So where's the patient now? Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Right now he's in a hospital room waiting for me to tell him the results of this checkup. I can't wait to hear what his explanation for this is."

knock-knock

Ritsuko looked away from her friend to her door. "Come in!"

Both ladies were surprised to see Senator Palpatine enter the office. The aging gentleman bowed. "Hello ladies. Nice to see you two."

Ritsuko smiled. Working for SEELE, it was nice meeting a politician that was as honest as Gendo was cold-hearted. "Good to see you too, Senator. May I ask why you've stopped by? Do you need an... examination?" she puckered up for a mock kiss.

"I'm afraid not, Dr. Akagi. I'm here to discuss a bill issuing extra funding for NERV with Commander Ikari."

Misato blinked. "A politician wanting to give NERV more money? Forgive me Senator Palpatine, but I don't often see a government official acting on behalf of safeguarding humanity."

"We're a dying breed." Palpatine sighed sadly. "I have known so many good men who have become more interested with their checking account than their vow to serve the public good. Truthfully, I have a secondary reason for coming here. I heard that young Shinji is here and I wish to make sure he's heading down the right path."

Ritsuko cocked an eyebrow. "You're afraid he'll be 'corrupt'?"

"I just don't want him to become like his father."

Ritsuko huffed. "Now see here Palpatine, you shouldn't judge Gendo like that! He has the most important job in the world! That's a responsibility that a little senator could never understand!"

"Ritsuko!" Misato was shocked at her friend's disrespect.

Palpatine looked the doctor dead in the eye. "Dr. Akagi, I know what really goes through Gendo's mind and it frightens me. Is it too much to ask that I wish Shinji to be a better man?"

"Of course not!" Misato shouted. She stood by Palpatine. "Listen Rits, I've been watching over Shinji and I think he needs the kind of guidance Senator Palpatine can give. Tell me Senator, have you any suggestions for Shinji?"

"I do indeed, Captain Katsuragi. I notice Shinji seems rather restless lately. Perhaps a hobby would be in order?"

Misato mused over the idea. "That's not too bad. He does play the cello but he it would be nice if he picked up another hobby. Maybe karate would suit him. It definitely would help with his self confidence."

Palpatine shook his head. "Actually Misato, I was thinking more along the lines of swordsmanship. It would teach him grace and patience, wonderful traits for a healthy young boy to pick up."

Misato pondered this. "Hmm... some kendo lessons could help the kid get out more. Everyday, he spends all his time locked in his room meditating."

"No, Misato. I think Kendo is too rigid. Shinji needs to learn something that is more loose."

"Uhh... how about English fencing than? It's pretty graceful."

"No no no, Misato. That would not do at all. Tell me, what do you know about sabers?"

blink-blink "Uh, nothing."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot."

Palpatine waggled a finger. "Now, now Dr. Akagi. Don't be so quick to so label your good friend. I can recommend a wonderful teacher who would gladly instruct Shinji. What do you say?"

Misato beamed him a smile. "I think that would be perfect. I can't wait to tell him."

Ritsuko reached for the intercom. "I'll buzz him in here so you can inform him of the news."

"Thank you, sir!" Shinji beamed upon hearing the good news. "I promise you that I'll put these lessons to good use."

Palpatine shared a smile with Ritsuko and Misato. "Thank nothing of it, young man. If you turn out to be a better person because of this, nothing would make me more happier."

"I-I gotta do something for you!" Shinji stammered. "Please let me make it up to you. I owe you too much not to."

"Weeell," Palpatine mused. "There is something you could do."

"Anything!" Shinji begged.

"Very well then, Shinji Ikari," the Senator spoke in his most arthritic voice. "You must fetch me... a shrubbery!"

Shinji blinked. "A shrubbery?"

"Yes, a shrubbery. On the east side of Tokyo 3, there is a store, 'Ivy's Greenhouse', on the corner of 38th and G. Street that is holding a special order for me. I would send one of my aids to pick it up but I have them all doing different tasks. If you pick it up, I would more than be willing to call it even."

Shinji knew there had to be a catch somewhere. "Weeell, I think I could."

Misato took a step forward. "Of course he could. C'mon Shinji, I'm off duty now and I can give you a ride there."

Palpatine waved his hand. "You can't take Shinji to the store. You still have business to do. He will have to walk."

Misato nodded. "I can't take you to the store. I still have business to do. You will have to walk." Misato immediately walked away.

Ritsuko saw this and immediately walked away at a hurried pace. She could really use a stiff drink right now.

And so Shinji was left alone with Senator Palpatine. The Senator gave Shinji a simple pat on the back. "Good luck, Shinji. Oh, and by the way? I think you should leave right now. The shop closes in an hour and I would consider it an inconvenience if I had to wait another day."

"I understand. I'll get you a shrubbery."

"Make it a nice one."

Shinji sighed. "It'll be a nice one."

"And not too expensive." Palpatine turned and walked away.

Deep down, Shinji had a feeling this was the whole Chicken Soup incident all over again.

An hour later, Shinji was in a sector of the city he had never been in before. It was in the lower class section of Tokyo 3 where street gangs held more power than the police. An accurate term would be the slums.

Shinji took a breath and extended his self into the Force, expanding his senses. There was much corruption in the place, much fear. The dwellers here were constantly scared. Scared of hunger; scared of the gangs. They were so scared that nearly everyone stayed indoors. There were next to no one on the streets.

Shinji wondered how the government allowed this to happen. Hunger could be ended with labor factories, employing the uneducated. Their jobs would earn them the money for food. An increase vigilant of the neighborhoods and more law enforcers would finish the threats of gangs. Shinji recalled something his master said to him once.

'Control is the key to order. The great the control, the stronger the order.'

Shinji felt an aura approach from behind. Shinji scanned him harder and found him to be very weak. Definitely not a threat.

"Hey!" yelled a gruff and sluggish voice. "Why you here, boy? Tell me."

Shinji turned around and saw a slovenly and fat cop with grey highlights. "Is there a problem, officer?"

The overweight cop wheezed. "Just get out of here, boy. Run home to your mommy. It's not safe here."

"It's not safe anywhere if I have to rely on cops like you for protection," Shinji quipped. The dark side made him fully aware of how foolish it was to ever respect fat slobs like the police.

The cop growled which made him look more foolish than dangerous. "Very funny, punk."

It angered Shinji that the cop 'demoted' him in name by calling him a lowly punk. He was a Sith, not some lowly hood.

The cop continued. "Listen. Our intel says there's going to be a big gang war between four factions today. We think it's going to be today."

Shinji nodded. "I see. So you're evacuating the streets to protect people. Wise choice. We don't want innocents to get hurt."

"That's what we hope. Hopefully they'll kill each other without shooting anyone else."

"Kill each other? You mean you're not going to stop them? You're just let them duck it out in the streets?"

"Yeah. Let 'em wipe each other out, I say. Saves us the trouble."

Shinji clinched his fists. "What about innocents?" he snapped. "Without someone monitoring the situation, there's bound to be innocents lost with ricochet bullets!"

"Heh," he was amused with the child's naivety. "What would you tell us to do? Just go in and arrest them all? Too many cops would be killed. Ain't worth it."

"Coward!" Shinji countered. "If it's too dangerous for you to arrest them, than just kill them!"

The cop smiled sadly. "That's a violation of civil rights kid. We don't have the authority to kill gangs just because they're gangs. We got to catch them doing a crime. That's the law."

"It's a STUPID law! As long as a threat to innocents exists, you should have the right to kill them! They're nothing but vermin; they don't deserve to live!"

"Where'd you learn that from? Hitler Youth Camp?"

Shinji had to bit back his anger. It was so tempting to kill him but that would upset his mission. But the idea of using the Force Chokehold almost made it seem worth it. "Can I go now? I got a shrubbery to pick up."

"A shrubbery?" the cop cocked an eye. "You're willing to get in the middle of a gang war, where hundreds of bullets will wiz through their air, just for a shrubbery?"

"It's not just a shrubbery. It's a nice shrubbery and a not too expensive one." Shinji walked away.

The cop watched Shinji as he headed deeper into the slums. "Dead man walking."

His radio beeped. churrr "Master Chief? Master Chief?" churr "Come in, Master Chief." churr

"Master Chief here. What's the situation?"

"The Jackals are approaching from Hiroshi Street. The Hunters have set up a barricade at the shopping center. The Elites are coming in from 9th and the Grunts are coming from East Street."

Master Chief grimace at that information. Ever since the near eradication of the Skulls a week ago, all the other gang factions have been at it full force.

The Grunts: Hispanic crooks who somehow got to Japan. Despite their tiny size, they fought like vicious pitbulls. They were about as smart as dogs too; but what they lacked in intelligence, they made up with sheer tenacity. Often, they would hurl themselves at other hoods and dog pile them. Despite their imp size, sniveling nature, and comical actions, they were a force to be reckoned with.

The Jackals: Arab black marketers. With their lack of raw strength, a fool would deem them weak. Those fools always ended up dead. They always strike from the shadows, leaving behind butchered corpses as their namesake would. Fire fights were difficult because these bloodthirsty fiends would always wear bulletproof kevlar clothing head to foot, serving as a shield from all assaults.

The Elites: Italian mobsters. They always worked in teams and were easily the most organized. They always planned out crimes with perfect detail. That did not mean they could not handle a chaotic situation. They always came prepared with grenades and weapons ranging from the standard to the exotic, military ordinance. Using all their weapons and skills, they could kill dozens and vanished from the scene in seconds.

The Hunters: Russian mobsters. They were the bane of the police. All were over seven feet tall, agile, durable, sharp shooters, and formidable soldiers, these tall behemoths could kill anyone if they were given a chance no matter under what conditions. They fought with the determination of the Grunts, wore the protective suits of the Jackals, and could kill more efficiently than the Elites.

This did not change that all these criminals would try to coven as much turf as they could. It would be a covenant war.

Knowledge flooded Shinji's mind as he let invisible Force waves washed over the city sector. Anger. Hate. Greed. Kill. Gangs. As the officer said, a war was about to happen. Calling upon the silent stealth techniques taught to him by the master, Shinji practically rendered himself invisible in broad daylight. He slid between cars, creeping behind posts, never being spotted. He was hiding behind a van that was just in front of the store that held his prize. He peaked over the roof.

Ivy's Greenhouse was across the street. It was still open even though the owner had left. Outside the four gangs were approaching with weapons drawn. Shinji had to weigh his decisions carefully. If he acted now, death was possible but if he acted after they killed each other, then the shop could be ruined as well as the shrubbery.

Shinji had no choice.

Just as the gangs aimed at each other, they heard a loud thump. They all turned to see a foaming Shinji standing on top of the van.

"Alright maggots! Give me the shrubbery and nobody gets hurt!"

**XXXXXXX**

Two hours later...

Misato was shaking the senator's hand. "Congratulations sir!"

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just glad I could help."

"So the bill will be passed? We'll get more funding?"

"Of course you will," Palpatine smiled confidently. "I had to call in a few favors but it'll be worth it. NERV is in charge of protecting our world isn't it?"

Misato was about to respond when the door opened. They saw a very haggard Shinji walk in carrying a potted plant. The Third Child looked exhausted. His skin was pale; the eyes bloodshot. His uniform was ripped and scratched. His right arm was bandaged heavily. He looked like hell.

"Here's your shrubbery, sir." He held up the pot with trembling blood splattered hands.

"Shinji!" Misato gasped. "What happened to you?!"

"Eh-I," he stammered. "I... bought the shrubbery but... I got caught in a shoot out between... some gangs. Don't worry, ah-I'm...okay."

"Your arm is injured," Palpatine observed.

"A stray shot." Shinji answered. "I'm pretty lucky actually. I heard on the bus radio on my ride back a lot of gang bangers didn't make it. It's no big deal what I went through."

"You will need a tetanus shot, friend. Plus some stitches as well from the looks of it." Palpatine looked at the captain who was looking quite frantic. "Misato? Please escort Shinji to the med-wing."

Misato nodded wordlessly. She gently grabbed Shinji by his good arm and was about to lead him away when Palpatine stopped her.

"One minute, captain." He made eye-contact with Shinji. "Shinji, I am glad you brought me my shrubbery just as I'm glad you ran when you had the option but there is something else I need."

Shinji had a queasy feeling. "What's that, sir?"

"You must fetch me... ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!"

Shinji nearly wept. "Oh god, it is the chicken soup incident all over again!"

Shinji would have protested further but Misato dragged him away before he could. Palpatine gave himself a proud smile and left as well, never bothering to pay attention to the radio that Misato had left on in the room.

...we interrupt this countdown to bring you an important message. There has been a massive gang shooting on the east side of the city. There have been over sixty casualties, strangely enough all from the gangs. Police are unwilling to comment at this time..."

_End chapter three..._

**XXXXXXX**

Like it? Honestly, I didn't. It's getting too funny. I need to get back to the dark side. Also I've finally figured out how to write this Shinji. Instead of being a plan ol' evil dude, I'll write him as a Darth Vader type dude, a sociopathic civil servant. Personally, I'm really looking forward to writing some more of this now that summer is here.

ps... HALO RULES!


End file.
